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@charliesays
Awesome. Well, the setting is indeed beautiful. Weather was much better than expected. With a wetsuit on, the water temp really wasn't a problem. However, when i got in it reminded me why i had a mini panic last time i tried open water swimming. For some reason i feel like i want to take panic breaths and gulp down water when i put my face in. Just not comfortable with it at all, but i think this will come with not too much more experience. It was more a case of just seeing what the place was like and letting my gf feel how different it is compared to the pool ahead of the Great North Swim in a few weeks. She can only swim breaststroke and was quite put off by how much slower she was going than everyone else. The difference it not nearly as notable in the pool. I guess wetsuits are just built for crawl, but it's too late to try to learn it now. She still swam 800m without too much effort, which i think is an excellent achievement for a first go in open water.
Back again next Saturday to have a proper go, with a bit more time on our hands, so maybe do a few loops of the 750m course.
Makes you feel like a bit of a hero to be up early on the weekend in a beautiful lake having a bit of a swim. Thoroughly recommend it.